Oil well rack device



Oct. 14, '1941. R. o. LAIRD ETAL 2,258,934

OIL WELL RACK DEVICEl Filed Nov. '7, `1940 2, Sheets-Sheet l Inventors Attorney Oct, 14, 1941. R. o. LAIRD ET AL OIL WELL RACK DEVICE Filed Nv. 7, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 Pr .L Q/7d. /Veed a, M 7;/'a/d/e 9 By l A I Attorney IIIl Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,258,934 on. WELL RACK DEVICE yRobert 0. Laird, Cement, Okla., and Needum W. Friddle, Kellerville, Tex.

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an oil well rack device, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of the above stated character which may be easily installed on an oil well derrick as a safety device to prevent falling Vof well tubing or casings arranged in standing position on the derrick iioor awaiting use, and is so constructed to accommodate a varying number of tubes or casings to each stack and a varying number of stacked tubes or casings and may be easily adjusted when desired either for the uses specified or for transportation Without danger of damage thereto.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and karrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of our invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation illustrating a portion of an oil well derrick construction showing the present invention adapted thereto for a safety medium in the retaining of oil well tubes or casings stacked on end upon the iioor of the derrick construction.

Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, and drawn on an enlarged scale illustrating the means of adjusting the present invention.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating one of the adjusting bars.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the restraining rods.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a fragmentary portion of a `Wel1 derrick construction, the ooring being indicated by the character 6. It is the customary practice to stack on the floor 6 in standing position well tubes or casings 1 when awaiting use. As such devices are of considerable weight there is always danger when left standing of falling and injuring the construction of the device as well as the operators of the well. To prevent accidents the present invention is'devised and is readily adaptable to the derrick construction 5 at a selected distance above the floor 6 so that the well tubes or casings will be restrained admoving out of standing position. However, the construction of the present invention is such that the well tubes or casings can be readily removed for use at any time desired. ,Y

A substantially rectangular shaped frame 8 is provided with end apertured pieces 9 to receive bolts or like fasteners for the mounting of the frame on the derrick frame construction. One of the side members indicated by the character I0 of the frame 8 is provided with spaced slots I I through which may slide restraining rods 0r fingers I 2. The end members of the frame are provided with slots I3 to slidably receive the ends of a shaft I4. The inner ends rof the fingers I2 are provided with T-shaped sleeves I5 journaled on the shaft I4. By having the fingers slidable in the slots Il and journaled on the shaft I4 will permit any one of the ngers or any number of said fingers to be swung upwardly and rearwardly to an 'inoperative position, also extended or retracted with respect to the frame. Also the shaft I4 being slidable in the slots I3 permits the fingers to be retracted substantially within the frame so that the device can be shipped without danger of damage to other devices or injury to the fingers.

Also, the shaft I4 slidable inthe slots I3 will permit the operator to advance the fingers various distances outwardly of one side of the frame to form spaces therebetween for the accommodation of varying numbers of well casings or tubes arranged on end as shown in Figure 1.

Operating shafts I6 are journaled in the end members of the frame 8 and have formed on ends thereof crank handles I1 whereby said shafts may be rotated in opposite directions. Crank arms I8 are secured on the operating shafts and have pivoted thereto ratchet bars I9 provided with teeth 20 to engage with the shaft I4. The ratchet bars I9 are arranged in pairs with the pairs of ratchet bars opposing each other and engaging the shaft I4 so that on the operation of one of the shafts I6 the shaft I4 will be slid in one direction in a step by step motion and when the other operating shaft I6 is actuated the rack bars thereof will slide the shaft I4 in a reverse direction in a step by step movement.

It is to be understood that when the shaft I4 is being slid in one direction by one pair of ratchet bars the other pair of ratchet bars are disengaged from the shaft I4 and supported in a partially elevated position. In order that the pairs of rack bars may be elevated as specified,

jacent their upper ends fTOm falling over 0r 55 operating shafts 20 are journaled in the frame and are provided with handles 2| and have integral therewith plates 22 underlying the ratchet bars so that on operation of the shafts the ratchet bars may be elevated out of engagement with the shaft I4. This construction permits any of said pairs of ratchet bars to be disengaged from the shaft I4 when desired.

Surrounding the operating shafts I6 are coil springs 24 having certain ends thereof secured to the frame, as shown at 25, while the opposite ends bear against the crank arms I8 for the purpose of urging the operating shafts I6 in the direction of bringing the ratchet bars I9 in engagement with the shaft I4.

A restraining rod 28 is slidably mounted in key-shaped openings provided in the end members of the frame. The restraining rod 28 has a pin 29 which when moved in a vertical position will permit the restraining rod to be slid endwise for the purpose of moving from over the fingers. Any number of the fingers I2 may be uncovered by the restraining rod so that they can he swung into an inoperative position if desired.

A restraining rod, similar to the restraining rod 28, is indicated by the character 3G and is slidably mounted in the frame to` overlie the ratchet bars. This rod is provided with pins 3I which must be positioned in a certain Way to pass through the keyhole slots of the frame. When said shaft I4 is engaged by both pairs of ratchet bars, the shaft then cannot slide in a slot I3 in either direction consequently the fingers are secured in an adjusted position either extended or retracted with respect to the frame. The-rod 30 must be removed from the frame along with the rod 28 when it is desired to position the fingers in inoperative position.

A safety chain 34 may have its ends detachablyconnected to hooks 35 formed on the frame. The safety chain may be brought about the groups of stacked well tubes or casings between the iingers and prevent them from being moved outwardly from said fingers. The safety chain is'preferably employed only when the well is left unattended or overnight.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of` our invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim is:

1. In a well derrick rack, a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for sliding movement toward and from one side of the frame, fingers carried by said shaftvand slidably engaging said frame and adapted to extend outwardly from said side of the frame to define spaces for the accommodation of a plurality of well tubes arranged on end, and means for imparting sliding movement to said shaft in either direction to extend or retract the fingers.

2. In a well derrick rack, a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for sliding movement toward and from one side of the frame, fingers carried by said shaft and slidably engaging said frame and adapted to extend outwardly-from said side of the frame to define spaces for the accommodation of a plurality of well tubes arranged on end, operating rods journaled in said frame and including handles, crank arms secured to said rods, ratchet bars journaled on said crank arms and in engagement with said shaft and arranged in pairs with the pairs of ratchet bars disposed in opposed relation.

3. In a well derrick rack, a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for sliding movement toward and from one side of the frame, fingers carried by said shaft and slidably engagingsaid frame and adapted to extend outwardly from said side of the frame to define spaces for the accommodation of a plurality of well tubes arranged on end, operating rods journaled in said frame and including handles, crank arms se cured to said rods, ratchet bars journaled on said crank arms and in engagement with said shaft and arranged in pairs with the pairs of ratchet bars disposed in opposed relation, means on said frame whereby either pair of ratchet bars may be elevated out of engagement with said shaft.

4. In a well derrick rack, a frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for sliding movement toward and from one side of the frame, fingers carried by said shaft and slidably engaging said frame to extend outwardly from said side of the frame to define spaces for the accommodation of a 'plurality of well tubes arranged on end, operating rods journaled in said frame and including handles, crank arms secured to said rods, ratchet bars journaled on said crank arms and in engagement with said shaft and arranged in pairs with the pairs of ratchet bars disposed in opposed relation, means on said frame whereby either pair of ratchet bars may be elevated out of engagement with said shaft, springs carried by said operating rods and acting on said crank arms to urge the ratchet bars into engagement with said shaft.

5. In a device of the character described, a demountable frame, a shaft mounted on said frame for sliding movement toward and from one side of the frame, fingers journaled on said shaft, said frame having slots to slidably receive said fingers, a ratchet means for sliding the shaft in opposite directions to extend and retract the ngers, and restraining means carried by said frame for the fingers and capable of releasing one or more of said fingers to permit them to be swung into inoperative position.

ROBERT O. LAIRD. NEEDUM W. FRIDDLE. 

